The Last Son
by Paradoxicality
Summary: An adventure featuring the tenth Doctor and Donna. The Doctor and Donna land on the advanced planet of Bartiere, but the Doctor has been here before. The sun is dying and a child is infected, but can Donna save the day?


Doctor Who - The Last Son

The Doctor and Donna bounded out of the TARDIS to a lush green landscape; flat but seemingly endless. No hills, no bumps, and each blade of grass seemed to stand alone, waving in subtle perfection. Donna gazed at what seemed to be a basic village consisting of several crudely built cottages to their left, and a slope going downwards to their right. There was little activity in the village, with only a few people entering and exiting buildings, none particularly aware or concerned by the pair's arrival. The sky was a perfect blue, cloudless sky, and Donna could make out six or seven seemingly tiny planets orbiting in the distance. The planet's Sun blazed high in the sky, yet the temperature seemed faultless- far from exceedingly hot anyway. The whole area must have been a couple of miles long, and yet everything seemed so compact and cosy. Donna immediately felt the place was a bit too perfect.

"Smell that? Pure air, not a trace of impurities- won't find that anywhere else in the whole universe." The Doctor said, smiling gleefully to himself, his head back as he sucked in as much of it as possible. He immediately started wandering off, with no clear sense of a path, but letting his nose do the leading.

"Yeah, great, still haven't got to the matter of saying where we are though." said Donna, clearly disinterested, but quickly catching up to him.

"The grand planet of Bartiere. Nice isn't it?"

"Bit behind the times ain't they? I always assume alien planets will be well ahead of us."

"You're half right. It is 2009."

"Just 2009? Not 2009 million or something?"

"Nope. Plain old 2009. But if you look over here..."

Donna realised the Doctor has guided her to an edge; the thought of being up high hadn't even crossed Donna's mind. Donna's eyes followed the Doctor's pointed finger downwards, and she realised that they were thousands of metres above the ground. But even that wasn't the ground, she noted. They looked down on thousands of towering buildings and skyscrapers, themselves around a hundred feet above the ground. The city seemed bustling with life - a real metropolis. Part of Donna wished she was down there with some sort of civilization. The more prominent part of her mind became aware of the clear threat of falling straight off the edge, and so she held tight to the Doctor's coat. The Doctor smiled, almost indulging in her small mark of fright.

"It's fine. The whole village is under a protect bubble. Look." The Doctor prodded the bubble to a reassuring bounce from an invisible layer.

"But...how can this whole village be this far up? How do they survive?"

"Food is brought in each week by the leader and water comes from a spring, all the way down to the city," Something seemed to trigger in the Doctor's brain that made him lose concentration, but a smile soon snapped back onto his face. "Brilliant eh?"

"And the race that lives here...?"

"Bartierians Donna, keep up."

"I mean, what are they like?"

"Advanced humans basically. Just like you but with the capacity to hold so much more in their little noggins. They have knowledge of the whole multi-universe on hard drives way ahead of your time. They know more about me and you then we ever could."

"So they know our whole history; our whole future?"

"Not quite. They could guess though. Amazing thing is they keep to themselves, never wanting to anger or enrage other communities. A heavily advanced race not telling anyone else about what they know and what might happen. Some might say that's selfish. To me it's brilliant. Not using their knowledge for good or evil just..." The Doctor trails off as he realises Donna has left his side.

Donna had become captivated, near hypnotised by something. She walked precariously down the slope to the right of the TARDIS, following a distant mellow song. She began to try to put reason behind it, replaying the last bit she had just heard or putting words to what seemed like a verse, but she couldn't, as if trying to catch light rays. And soon, she saw what was calling her. Down the slope, Donna saw an ancient wishing well, in near disuse, and a broken tree stump to its' left. On the stump sat a boy, his back to Donna, in a long white robe. It was lined in gold, and from what Donna could see of him, he seemed to be a teenager. Donna suddenly regained control, stopping herself at the base of the hill, but still wanting to move closer. She slowed down her pace, until she was a mere few inches from the boy. She reached out to touch him, the idea of shouting out to get his attention not occurring to her. Or seeming pointless. Donna managed to rest her hand on the boy's shoulder, her heart racing with fear and intrigue. A stream of ice cold air ran up her arm, freezing her in the position and making her wince in pain.

"Donna!" The Doctor came hurtling down the hill, and pulled Donna away, into his grip. Donna, with her head against the Doctor's chest, remained there for a second, listening to the unusually calming sound of his two heartbeats. She slowly turned around to see the child was meeting her gaze. His cold, pale face stared at the both of them, but Donna was drawn to his eyes; they were a deep black, with a pure white iris and black pupil. Donna felt her heart race even more, and she pushed her face against the Doctor's chest.

"We're leaving." The Doctor declared coldly, turning in an instant away from the boy and helping Donna up the hill.

"What's wrong with him Doctor?" Donna's voice remained weak, as if in grief. The Doctor didn't reply, but simply fumbled in his pockets for the TARDIS key.

"Doctor. **What** is he?" Donna's voice took on a stern tone, refusing to be ignored. The Doctor looked at her distraught face, and sighed. "He's the last son of Bartiere".

....

"Doctor what do you mean?" Donna demanded, as the Doctor pulled out his key and forcefully shoved it into the lock.

"We're leaving." the Doctor replied, looking her in the eyes and fixating her as he so often did.

"But why? Why can't you help him?" The Doctor turned to the TARDIS door and that's when he noticed the arm. He followed it up to its owner; he didn't need to, he knew who it belonged to already. The man was middle-aged, with brown hair and a gruff, short beard. He wore just a robe like the young boy, but large brown leather boots that seemed crudely made. His eyes pierced even Donna, though she knew they were meant for her friend.

"Finally come back then Doctor?" The man had a stern tone to his voice, and stared deep into the Doctor's eyes.

"Doctor?" Donna had come to realise that the Doctor was both admired and feared across the universe.

"Just let us leave. We mean no harm." The Doctor never seemed to look directly at the man, his eyes darting around the TARDIS door.

"We told you not to come back Doctor. If you've made him worse..."

"The Doctor hasn't done anything. We've just been here a couple of minutes, that's all. The Doctor never means any harm; you've probably got him confused." Donna stated, trying to win the stern looking man over.

"I hardly think so. I'd get out as fast as you can my dear. Only a matter of time." Even in spite of his darkly sinister tone the man maintained his intensity. The Doctor sighed, and pushed open the TARDIS door which had now been freed from the man's hold.

"That's right. Run away." The man shouted after him. Donna sensed the man knew that the Doctor could easily be several metres away from him now. Donna stared after the Doctor, fearing the man's piercing eyes. She couldn't decide whether to smile sympathetically at the man or just chase after the Doctor. Either way she came out looking desperate. She opted to hastily follow the Doctor into the TARDIS, ignoring the man's glare.

Inside, she found that he had thrown off his overcoat, and had begun banging the controls even more speedily than usual. Donna attempted to get a good look at the Doctor but he was jumping around the controls like a perturbed rabbit, and so she simply folded her arms and stood watching him nearby. The Doctor looked up out of the corner of his eyes at Donna, who stared intensely back.

"I've given up trying to ask." She said disheartenedly.

"Thanks." The Doctor gave her a throwaway smile, before flicking a final control to the familiar sound of the TARDIS humming into life.

After a second, however, the TARDIS abruptly stopped. The lights distinguished, and the Doctor and Donna looked at each other.

"Aarrghhh, what now?!" The Doctor began flicking controls, trying anything, but to no use. And the Doctor knew it. He violently bashed the console before running his hand threw his hair. Donna walked up to him, and looked him in the eyes.

"Doctor, whatever it is, I'm here too. Let's just face it, yeah?" Donna tried her best to show her commitment through her smile, and the Doctor echoed this, relaxing his stance and taking her hand. They guided each other towards the doors, and Donna slipped a hand into the Doctor's overcoat, quickly pulling out what she needed and sliding her free hand into her pocket. The two exited through the TARDIS door, the Doctor first, to a dank, empty space. Two large men dressed in black gowns stood either side of the doors, and a familiar shadow cast itself near the Doctor.

"There was no way we'd let you go Doctor. When we became aware of your presence, we locked your ship's controls to here, five minutes in the future."

"Look, fine, you've caught me. Just let Donna go."

"Fine. But she will leave this planet immediately. Guards." The man nodded towards Donna and the two guards took her by the arms and forcefully pushed her out of the iron door.

"Hey! Alright, easy, I think I can get through a door thanks." Donna instinctively checked her arms, in the hope of finding some bruises to complain about, but to no avail. She distanced herself from the broad-shouldered man; not knowing his name made him even more threatening.

"I've got business to attend to Doctor. Make yourself at home, you'll be here a while." His expressionless face still left Donna confused, but once he had left her eye line, Donna was instantly up against the grid-like bars.

"Doctor, what do I do?" She demanded, her eyes flitting between the emotionless Doctor and the equally emotionless guards.

"Nothing. There's nothing you can do now. Just head home, like Mitchell said, and I might- I will find you again."

"Oh c'mon Doctor, like that's ever gonna happen. I'm gonna get you out of here. I mean, those guards can't be that tough, they hardly look smart anyway. I mean, we could be talking about escaping and they wouldn't look over." The two guards maintained their hollow stares out into the distance.

"Donna, Bartierians have knowledge of everything. You really think their fighting skills are minimal? They could paralyze me with a touch, if they so wish. Plus their hearing is well above anything a human could hope for. Just don't do or try anything. There is nothing you can do." The Doctor seemed stern in his tone, almost insulting Donna, who was taken aback. She hastily closed her mouth into pursed lips and tried to echo the Doctor's tone.

"I'm gonna do whatever it takes. I promise." And with that she followed Mitchell's path down a bright white corridor, and turned a corner, out of the Doctor's sight. He ran up against the bars and groaned, shaking them slightly.

....

Donna followed the corridor down its' slightly windy, if regimented, path. After a while the corridor opened up to a glorious pure white room. Donna could see an exit straight ahead, through quite rugged doors, and a single potted plant, not too exotic, in the corner on the right. Next to this, along the right-hand wall, padded seats were held up against the wall, not particularly inviting but comfortable, none the less. To Donna's immediate left was a desk, a slightly grey colour, with a young dark-haired woman sitting at it. A typical computer monitor seemed to be occupying her attention, although from what Donna could make out, whatever she was doing was not typical computer activities. Donna made her way into the receptionist's view, and smiled as best as she could, given the circumstances.

"Excuse me-" she began.

"Ah! Noble of...Earth" It seemed to take the receptionist no time at all to find the information on Donna.

"Yeah, I-"

"The inter-planetary transporter is to your right, second door on your left. You simply stand on the podium, select your desired galaxy, solar system, and finally planet. You'll land on the 5th July 2011, merely two days time."

"I thought the Doctor said it was 2009?" The Receptionist scowled.

"We have also recently been able to fine tune the system, allowing you pick your exact 'county' or general place of residence. Essex, I presume." The receptionist gave her a sly look up and down.

"No, why'd you think that?"

"...I think I'll show you the way, we wouldn't want you to get lost. Or have anything go missing." The receptionist was already making her way from the desk down another corridor, too far to hear the full brunt of her anger, Donna decided. Donna followed the receptionist closely, hoping with every turn that they wouldn't go too much further. They came to a stop shortly after, and the receptionist opened the door, her arm guiding Donna in.

"But I don't want to go!" Donna protested, staying outside the door.

"I think its best, don't you?" The receptionist grimaced, and Donna knew what to do. She reached into her jean pockets and drew out the psychic paper she'd taken from the Doctor's overcoat earlier. The Doctor wouldn't mind, she surmised, he could hardly use it. And yet she questioned her ability as well. Looking down at the blank piece of paper, she realised what the Doctor had told her-this was an intelligent race, far above that of any old human he might have used it with before. What if she was simply laughed off, the receptionist knowing of her treachery? She decided to take the risk.

"Donna Noble, intergalactic sheriff for the grand counsel of...Falafel." Even she could hear the uncertainty in her tone. She held it up as steadily as she could, and tried to read the receptionist's expression. There was a moment of silence, and then the receptionist laughed. Donna gulped heavily.

"I'm...I'm so sorry Noble. I believed you to be a mere Earth citizen. My data files-"

"Ah, a simple cover. Even your race can be fooled love." Donna massively enjoyed the fact that this was so simple; the lies seemed to weave themselves. Donna took the receptionist by the arm, whispering into her ear; she had to get her revenge.

"Blow my cover, and we're both dead." She said coldly. Donna loved the fear she could now read in the receptionist's eyes, but feared she had gone too far. She regained her composure, and brushed herself down.

"Now, take me to your leader!"

....

The Doctor sat motionless on the one cold stone bench, his hands clasped tightly together and his eyelids solidly shut. The guards stood similarly still, expressionless, not even blinking. And then Mitchell came in. The Doctor heard his heavy boots echoing around the room, and he gently raised his head to first check it was who he thought it was, before promptly jumping up and grabbing the bars.

"Have you seen my friend, Noble? Donna Noble? She ran off and I told her to go home but..." The Doctor trailed off as he stared at Mitchell's blank face. His eyes seemed to be welling up, with both anger and heartache, and he always appeared to keep a distance from the Doctor; the Doctor couldn't tell whether this was out of fear or disgust.

"So much care and affection for someone. Not like you Doctor." Mitchell's words resonated in the room.

"Mitchell, whatever happened, I'm-"

"You're what, Doctor? Sorry? Scared? Alone? The ever-adventuring Time Lord. The last of his kind and resigned to being caged like the wild animal he is. We'll be keeping you here indefinitely, Doctor. Seeing as torturing is pointless we'll just leave you to rot over the coming centuries."

"Mitchell, please, I might be able to help-"

"No! You've done enough of your 'helping'," Mitchell held his gaze directly into the Doctor's eyes, both swapping unimaginable depths of heartache in just an instant. But then it was over. Mitchell turned his back and sighed heavily.

"You'll be provided with nutrition shortly. We'll see your Noble gets home. Goodbye Doctor." The Doctor hung his head morosely and sat once again on the cold slab, as Mitchell strode out of the room.

....

Donna stood outside what she assumed was the 'city hall'. It still seemed very basic from the outside, a stark comparison to its' pristine and futuristic interior. Donna thought of this as yet another way the Bartierians kept to themselves, not wanting to boast or attract attention. The receptionist had been pointing out buildings for a good few minutes now, her vibrantly painted nails heading in all manner of directions.

"That is the Patterson's. And over there are the Matthews. And then there-"

"Yeah, alright, if I'd wanted a guided tour I would've paid for the headset. You still haven't said who's in charge and where they are."

"That would be Leader."

"Leader? Just, 'Leader'? Not even 'The Leader' or 'Mr. Leader'?"

"He lives in the house on the far edge. His door's always open."

"That's something at least. Thanks for your help Miss uh..."

"Receptionist."

"Of course. I'll be sure to recommend you to the council of Falafel for a pay rise."

"I don't get paid. Bartierians do not believe in the concept of money."

Donna tried to hide her contempt and simply rolled her eyes before heading towards the house at the edge of the village. Donna hated walking long distances. Running - fine. She expected it from her trips with the Doctor now. But walking, when you travel with someone who can travel across solar systems and centuries in the blink of an eye; it didn't seem right. Donna laughed to herself. She was complaining about walking. There were millions of people back on Earth, searching for the answers to the universe and whether time travel was possible, and here she was, on a planet light-years away, moaning because she had to walk somewhere. Even she found herself a bit spoilt. And, before she knew it, she'd reached the large, slightly grand, cottage.

Two more guards, near identical to those in the cells, stood either side of the tall double doors. She knew what was coming, but none the less Donna reached for the small wooden handles. The guards flew seamlessly in front of her and Donna took a step back in recoil. "Sorry, Donna Noble, general leader of the-"

"We know who you are Noble. An associate of the Doctor shall not enter." The guard didn't even look at Donna, merely gazing out as if just echoing someone else's words.

"Yeah, but the, or just 'Receptionist', said anyone could enter. And how does everyone know about the Doctor?"

"Go home Noble. You are not wanted."

Donna could feel the rage building inside of her. But her time with the Doctor had taught her a lot. And one of those things was that yelling at aliens doesn't help the situation. So, in a swift movement, she simply turned her back on the guards, and marched off. She was proud of the way she reacted now, and her contentment gave her a brisk step. But where was she going? Where do you head in a foreign place where you're not wanted?

And then it came to her. She slowed her motion as she thought, but soon she was marching her way towards the town hall and the jail. She pushed open the doors and strode in, almost wanting the Receptionist to question her return. Even so, she simply put up a hand towards the woman, giving her the superiority she'd always wanted.

"Can't talk, I'll only be a minute." Soon Donna was walking back down the winding white corridors, before striding up to the Doctor's cell. His face warmed her heart and gave her some placement in this literal alien land. The Doctor jumped up, both pleased and annoyed to see her.

"Why are you still here? I told you to go."

"Oh c'mon, you really thought I'd just leave?"

"Meh, had to at least try." The Doctor grew a slight smile on his face, now resigned to the fact the Donna wouldn't be going anywhere without him.

"Doctor, they won't even let me in to see 'Leader'. What have you done that's so bad?"

"Trust me it's...complicated."

Donna angrily moved her jaw and sighed heavily, before pulling the Doctor by his jacket up close. She hugged him tightly through the bars and the Doctor looked down on her, his head resting on hers, confusedly, simply assuming she must be lonelier than she was letting on. But eventually she pulled away, smiling broadly and holding the Doctor's sonic screwdriver up towards him.

"Don't mess with me spaceman." Donna turned away quickly, putting her hand up in a mock wave before the Doctor could really take in what had happened. But once he had, he simply rested his head on the bars, and shook his head, laughing to himself.

....

Donna tossed the sonic screwdriver over in her hands, examining its many bumps and notches. She'd never really paid attention to how the Doctor used it, but it couldn't be that complicated. After all, he had fallen for her fake hug routine. And now, with the Doctor's sonic screwdriver and psychic paper, she had his whole artillery. Except for his mind. Donna knew that was his greatest weapon of all, but having something that can get her anywhere, and having something else that can open anywhere had to have some advantages.

Donna had made her way out of the building now, once again glancing at the Receptionist who only bothered to look at her out of the corner of her eyes. Donna didn't really have a plan. She could try breaking into all the buildings, collecting information. But on what exactly? She could try and distract the guards at 'Leader's' house. But somehow she doubted a blue light and a squeaky noise would be enough to take down the burly men. Or, she could go investigate the boy. Something about him still appealed to her. He seemed to be at the centre of this whole mystery, and yet seemed to be totally unaware of that fact. The Doctor had treated him like a monster; something she should be extremely wary of. Yet why would a whole village leave some monster just out on his own? On the one hand, even a peaceful race must have some way of dealing with enemies, like they did with the Doctor. On the other, he was just a child. And she guessed that was part of the reason. Even a total abomination, a total horror, seemed to be nullified if it was in a child's form. And then she heard her name.

It took Donna by surprise at first, bringing her back from her thoughts that had left her somewhat numb to her surroundings. But names always seemed to break through barriers. At first she shrugged it off, but there it was again; "Noble." Slightly louder but still little more than a whisper. This time Donna checked all around her. Donna was privileged with a name that couldn't easily be mistaken and yet she must of, as her eyes couldn't spot anyone unusual in the sparse landscape. And then a cold hand hit Donna's shoulder. She spun around to a small woman. She was dressed, as everyone, in a white robe, but this one had a hood that the woman had wrapped over her head. She seemed to cower as Donna examined her.

"Noble?" She questioned this time, to be sure.

"Yeah, Donna Noble. Who are you?"

"The one person on this planet willing to give you the time of day." The woman took Donna's hand, and guided her to a middle-sized cottage on the left side of the village. She pushed open the door, and shut it immediately after her. Inside the area was entirely in marble. There were several tables and chairs across the middle of the room, and what looked like what would have been a long, plush sofa, but in these surroundings, was simply a block of carved marble in the corner. On the walls hung mirrors only, no pictures or paintings or decorations, just mirrors. Donna immediately made out a drinks bar in front of her, with several bottles lined up on several shelves behind it. Donna took a seat on a table towards the middle as the woman pulled down her hood and made her way behind the bar. Her short brunette hair fell out gracefully, and she carefully brushed it back behind her ear as she poured some liquid into two stone glasses. She brought them over to Donna, and Donna smiled in return.

"To keep you going Noble." Donna took the cup and sipped at it. It tasted like water...but strangely with a sweet aftertaste. Like a less sickly version of sugar water.

"Thanks," she took another sip. "So why is everyone against my friend-the Doctor."

"He is...despised among us."

"That's a strong word."

"I'm afraid I don't use it lightly. He came one day, nothing special about it, he just appeared."

"He does that."

"He claimed he had come to see Mitchell."

"What that old bloke who locked him up?"

"That's Mitchell senior. He came to visit his son, Mitchell junior; we are a pure race, but a minimal one, only choosing to take what you would see as surnames as our titles."

"That explains a lot. Keep going."

"Mitchell junior was the chosen child - every generation, a child is born with a little more capacity. So much so that they could potentially hold all the information on all our hard drives if the need arose. If, for instance, we were required to leave."

"As much as that is amazing, surely he's little more than a back-up PC." The woman looked at Donna coldly.

"He seemed so enthralled by Mitchell junior; so much respect and longing. And yet, it was as if he empathised with him. He stayed for a day, talking to Mitchell junior, and then, at dawn break we received the message. The metropolis below had declared war. Our star, our 'sun', it's artificial. We created it centuries ago when the other was about to implode. It took several years, and many people died, but eventually we created one that exuded a perfect amount of heat and gravitational pull that was good, if not better than the real one. The problem was we kept control. And that worried the people below.

Not only did we have an extensive knowledge of everything, but we now had the power to wipe them out whenever we wanted by simply turning the sun off. Anyway, we decided that we needed to leave before things got out of hand. We infused our knowledge into Mitchell junior, and were ready to leave, but the Doctor said there was another way. He claimed he could sort things. And, uh, Mitchell junior...my son, wanted to go with him."

"Wait, your son is Mitchell junior? Then you're... Mrs. Mitchell?"

"He took him away in his spaceship. My husband said it was too early, too dangerous after only infusing Mitchell junior a few hours ago. But they were gone. And then he returned an hour or so later, clutching Mitchell junior in his arms, asking for help. There was a strange aura around him and..."

"What was it?"

"We do not know. A whole knowledge of the universe and we fail to understand what inhibits our own son. My husband reacted worst of all. The Doctor told us to leave him be, but my husband took him home, and sent the Doctor away. He claimed to be able to help him, but Mitchell said that if the Doctor ever dared to return, he should do so at his own peril. People yelled at him, claiming that he was a coward as his ship disappeared. And yet, we would wake up every morning to find my son down at the west docking point, next to the well, where the Doctor had originally arrived. Every time we brought him back we would find him there once again the following morning. He refused to eat. He hasn't spoken. I don't think he's even there anymore." Mrs. Mitchell trailed of, her eyes welling with tears, blinking in hope of holding them back. She sighed heavily, and Donna could hear the hurt. But she had to press on.

"But, is he dangerous? I mean his eyes..."

"He...has powers. Since he came back, the fake sun has occasionally stopped functioning. No-one has conceived a child. And people have had nightmares...terrible nightmares that left them fragile ever since."

Donna took Mrs. Mitchell's hand, sensing she had maybe gone too far with the questioning. But she had to get the Doctor out. Or at least get his advice.

"So what do you think? Do you blame the Doctor?"

"The Doctor is certainly not without blame. But I cannot say he caused this. I could see so much pain in his eyes as he was sent away. My husband simply believes that he was jealous of Mitchell junior's capacity, and faked the invasion as a chance to hurt him. I just cannot believe that, though."

"Then please let him free. As he said, he can help. He might not know everything, but he'll try everything. Please." Donna met Mrs. Mitchell's gaze, but she immediately turned her face away, brushing her hair and wiping her tears. She took their drinks, and quickly but silently walked back to the bar.

"I don't think so. As much as I want to, there's no convincing my husband and...you don't know how satisfying it is to have someone to blame. Giving reasoning behind this whole thing, no matter how probable, gives me a sense of hope. I'm sorry Noble." She placed the empty cups back on the shelf, and made her way to the door, she opened it inwards, and Donna knew that was her cue. She tried to smile at Mrs. Mitchell, but nothing seemed to form. She made her way out and the cold hit her. She looked up at the sun. It was dying.

....

The Doctor had started etching algebraic equations into the stone seat underneath him with a small stone that was on the floor. He was bored. He never got bored. And then something dawned on him. What if this was the end? As much as he trusted and respected Donna, how could she convince them of anything? She didn't even know what was going on. A whole eternity behind solid iron bars like the criminal he truly knew he was. What would become of him? Would Donna return, in many years time, when Earth had perfected space travel, and find a desolate, deluded form of himself, aged and decrepit, unable to start again? He shuddered at the thought, shivering and flicking the stone out of the jail. As he did so his eyes caught a shape entering the room. It was Donna again, but a mix of emotions washed over him. Of course he felt relief that she was alright, anger she hadn't left, and curiosity as to why she returned, but he couldn't help feeling fear as well, for her safety.

"Come back for the TARDIS now have ya? I mean, I doubt it'll fit through the bars, trouble with having a non-functioning chameleon circuit, but knowing you you'll just whiz off without asking."

"Don't worry your precious screwdriver it's still in one piece. Haven't even used it yet," Donna rolled her eyes.

"I just came back to check on you. Are you holding up OK?"

"I'm fine, me, as always, buzzing with ideas, might come up with some new theory in here." He tried to convince Donna with a large smile but she instantly saw through it.

"Look, Doctor, Mitchell, as in the girl Mitchell, told me what she knew. She said she believed you hadn't done anything to her son. But...just please tell me what happened. I could never believe you intentionally hurt someone I just want to hear what actually took place." Donna stared at the Doctor directly, and it was what he saw rather than what he heard that convinced him. He sighed heavily.

"So, you know I went down to the city with the young Mitchell, right?" Donna nodded.

"Well it was bustling. You could hardly tell war had been declared. Mitchell was amazed; the lights, the noise, the people. I took him to grand council building, the highest building with the highest peak, soaring above the city. We met with the leader, tried to compromise, sharing control over the sun, but it had already gone too far. They captured us both, handcuffing us behind chairs, hoping to use Mitchell as a ransom for their information on the universe. You see, what they hadn't told the Bartierians was that they'd taken the previous sun. Except it wasn't a sun anymore. It had collapsed into a black hole. But using xeo-technology they had contained a small trace of it. They couldn't do much with it as it was, it could maybe take in odd pieces of rubbish or paper. But if they built it up, grew it, they could envelope any planet they wanted. They could slowly build up the black hole, threatening to expose Mitchell to it once it was big enough.

They showed it to us in a small jar and stupidly left us alone with it. We were both intrigued, chatting about black holes and stars and white dwarfs...and before I knew it he'd opened the pot. I wasn't paying attention, too lost in my own delusions and knowledge to notice. The xeo-technology was defect; it had morphed the black hole into something more, something worse. At first I didn't know what to do, nothing was really happening; the black hole wasn't large enough to absorb anything. Instead he absorbed it. It...leaked onto his arm, and seeped underneath it, staining his skin. He started to convulse, and then just collapsed. Right in front of my eyes, me, sat there, doing nothing. They came back, and threw us out, scared of the consequences. Mitchell hadn't come to, but his heart rate was near double the speed. I took him back, left him, not knowing what to do. Hopeless and thoughtless."

The Doctor drifted off, as he looked at Donna, who was beginning to tear up. She quickly wiped her eyes, and took the Doctor's hands through the bars.

"Then it wasn't your fault. You couldn't have stopped him - you were stuck too. His curiosity, if anything, was to blame."

"My head and heart are too clouded to believe that. Have you seen what he's become? He feeds on people's fears Donna. The town became worried the artificial sun wouldn't work; so he made it malfunction. The women feared they'd never have children again; so he stopped them from being able. I feared that they'd find me, punish me."

"But, surely you knew when you came here, or did he like...alter your memory?" The Doctor looked slightly unsure of how to respond, and then the receptionist's voice boomed over the intercom. Donna looked up to the speaker in the far corner, not noticing it before in its hidden cove.

"Noble to front desk, Noble to front desk." She said it tunefully, and yet there was a smugness to her voice that Donna feared about. "I'll be back in a second." She smiled at the Doctor, and quickly left back to the reception area, rolling her eyes when she saw the receptionist sitting forward on her chair.

"What now?"

"It appears you're not as 'grand' as you appear you are. I've had it confirmed that you are, simply Donna Noble, Earth citizen and currently," she scrolled her computer screen down "Unemployed." She seemed to be enjoying this too much for Donna's liking.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't the one who fell for it was I?" Donna smiled broadly back, taking the receptionist down a notch, as she simply responded with a grimace.

"I called you out here to tell you the Leader wishes you to leave. Immediately." The severity in her tone made Donna gulp, although surely she could take on this moody cow on her own.

"And, uh, immediately means right now?"

"Right now." The receptionist clarified.

"Well, uh," Donna decided she needed some time alone- some time to think. "How 'bout you go warm up the old inter...planet...thing, and I'll come around once I've said goodbye to the Doctor."

"But the device doesn't require-"

"Just go." Donna rolled her eyes as the receptionist scuttled off down the corridor. As soon as she was out of sight, Donna started looking around her desk; there had to be something. Papers were carefully stacked, but seemed to be of no relevance. Donna tried tapping the computer screen but to no response. Fingerprint responsive, Donna assumed. And then she spotted the microphone. And everything fell into place. The Doctor's words echoed in Donna's ears as they came to her attention _"They could paralyze me with a touch, if they so wish. Plus their hearing is well above anything a human could hope for." _She pictured the Doctor, at her 'wedding', behind the DJ decks, knocking out all the Robot Santa's. Her hand began to scramble in her jeans pocket as everything played out in front of her. She fumbled with the screwdriver, setting it right way up, moving her thumb and forefinger around the base to find some sort of switch. She pressed something and jumped as the blue ray and electric sound came out. Finally, she positioned herself, two hands gripping tightly, as she flicked the switch on the microphone, and held the screwdriver against it, the sound ringing out everywhere.

....

Even to Donna the sound was somewhat debilitating. She winced slightly, but held steady. Several yells came out from the distance, one more prominent than the rest. Donna looked to her left to see the receptionist staggering back down the corridor towards her. Donna shifted slightly, hoping a few more millimetres could save her.

"What do you think you're doing? Turn that thing off this instant." The receptionist yelled, barely managing to stand aloft and desperately trying to cover her ears with her hands.

"I'm sorry but I have to do something. You'll thank me later." Donna screeched back. The receptionist had fallen in a heap now, still trying to cover her ears the best she could. Donna swallowed heavily, feeling a deep pang of guilt. She looked away and down the corridor towards the cells. She doubted she had long if she were to let go of the buttons. A few seconds, maybe a couple of minutes before the guards were back on form. She slowly edged her away from the microphone, still keeping her arm with the sonic screwdriver pointed in the system's general direction. When she knew it was doing little good, she dropped her arm and immediately fell into a sprint.

She entered the cell to find the guards huddled on the floor and the Doctor himself barely managing to stay up. He looked up when she entered and rolled his eyes as much as he could.

"Doctor, are you OK? C'mon let's go."

"Donna, was this you?!"

"No it was ruddy Noddy Holder, who do you think it was. Now c'mon." She pushed on the jail door and it slowly swung open.

"Donna I..." the Doctor looked around at the guards writhing in pain.

"You've done nothing wrong Doctor. You don't deserve this. You can cure Mitchell."

"But what if I can't? What if I make him worse, what does that make me then?"

"Doctor, the number of things I've seen with you, the things we've done, and every single time you've helped the best you could. You've saved planets and galaxies but most importantly people. Just random, tiny, insignificant people. Now let's go before these idiots get up." Donna stretched out a hand and smiled gently. The Doctor still looked perplexed, but her words resonated within him. He took her hand, and the two of them ran out of the building.

As soon as they'd left Donna put her hands on her legs and breathed heavily. She'd done a lot of running today and the toxin-less air of the towering city was just what she needed. She looked up to see the Doctor looking around frantically, a hand drawing down his face and jaw.

"What now?" Donna managed in between frantic breaths.

"How should I know? You seem to be perfectly in charge around here. And by the way theft is not appreciated thank you very much Donna Noble. Sonic screwdriver please." Donna rolled her eyes and drew out the device, placing it in the Doctor's open hand.

"Don't worry I didn't break it. I just...twisted a few things. You ever thought of providing an instruction manual?"

"I think I've got one lying around the TARDIS somewhere that I started. Well, a couple of sheets of paper with a few words on but..."

Donna sighed heavily but felt a wave of relief rush over her as she was finally reunited with her friend. Out of the corner of her eye the bar Mrs. Mitchell had dragged her into earlier started cogs churning in her brain.

"Doctor, what about Mitchell. Girl Mitchell. She said she sort of believed you, we could probably get her to convince her husband that you're telling the truth, maybe tell you some more stuff about her son that you could use, right?"

"I guess. I dunno Donna I still need time to think of what we could do."

"It's worth a try." Donna had already started making her way to the small, pale house. She guessed there wouldn't be a bell, so rammed her knuckles against the solid oak. After a few seconds the timid face of Mrs. Mitchell peaked out.

"Ah, Donna, I thought you'd be gone by now."

"Look, Mitchell, I brought someone to see you." The Doctor popped up behind Donna's shoulder and gave an uncomfortable wave.

"Doctor. But you were imprisoned..." Mrs. Mitchell seemed wary and pushed the door even more shut.

"Look, the Doctor can help. He knows a way to help your son...right?" Donna looked up the Doctor, hoping the last ten seconds had given him enough time to form a plan. She was in luck. He nodded and smiled softly. Mrs. Mitchell looked the Doctor up and down once more before opening the door fully.

"I wish to hear your plan before you do anything."

....

The Doctor and Donna took a seat at a larger table than the one Donna had sat at earlier. The Doctor brushed the smooth marble surface while Donna silently moved her bracelet up and down her wrist. Mrs. Mitchell brought over a tray this time, with several cups and a large jug of deep red liquid that was steaming slightly. There was a small pyramid of cube shaped food items, seemingly the equivalent of biscuits. Mrs Mitchell laid it down gently, and took a seat on the opposite side of the table. The Doctor poured himself a large glass of the red liquid, and Donna was surprised at the vast amount he was able to drink at once considering how hot it appeared. The Doctor offered her the jug but she declined.

"So Doctor, tell me precisely your plan."

"No techno babble though, right. I wanna be able to understand this too." Donna said, just as the Doctor was about to begin.

"Well, Mitchell, your son is infused with an equal concentration of xeo tech mixed with a black hole. Currently the two keep each other stable, repelling and attracting each other in equal quantities. At these amounts the two are in equilibrium; but change the amounts, even if you keep them at the same level as each other, and the two will have greater forces and will ultimately create a xeo orb or a....xeorb."

Donna looked at the Doctor angrily at having been intellectually blocked out.

"When you mix the two at great quantities they meld together rather than repel and attract, creating a xeo orb. It's not dangerous and pretty useful actually. Earth goes through a stage of using it as a fuel during the twenty...ninth century. Efficient, non toxic, but of course you over-source it and,"

Donna sighed heavily.

"OK, back on topic. If I can get another xeo container with a black hole in, expose Mitchell to it, and then hopefully it'll attract the rest of it out of Mitchell, and just create a xeo orb," The Doctor nodded slightly to himself then looked up to Mrs Mitchell. "Will you let me?" She swallowed heavily and looked down at her hands.

"OK Doctor. But if-"

At that moment the door swung open and the broad shoulders of Mitchell senior appeared into view. All three at the table turned to look up at him. Mitchell appeared to inspect the scene for a few seconds, the door handle still in his hand. As soon as his eyes gazed over the Doctor his face screwed up. He seemed to double in size, and strode large steps in the Doctor's direction. Mrs. Mitchell immediately jumped up and delicately but rapidly came between the two.

"Why is he in this house?" Mitchell boomed.

"The Doctor thinks he can help. He has a plan and-"

"You let him out?"

"No, but listen, he could help. He could cure our son."

"You let the person who murdered our son back into our home?"

"He isn't dead. Why can't you understand that? The only criminal in this room is you, Mitchell, for giving up on your own son."

Mrs. Mitchell looked down and wiped her eyes with her thumbs. Mitchell's rage had subsided, and his love for his wife took over. He took Mrs. Mitchell's hands in his, and looked her in her eyes.

"I have never given up on him my love. I just...needed someone to blame." The two embraced and Donna smiled at the Doctor.

"Doctor, what do you plan on doing with my son?" The Doctor stood and explained his plan once more, placing a hand on Mitchell's shoulder. Mitchell nodded, seemingly accepting help at last. When the Doctor had finished Mitchell rubbed his beard in thought.

"And how do you plan on getting more xeo technology Doctor? The people below stopped creating it after the incident, we made sure of that."

"That day, there were two jars on the table, a backup I presume. Now they couldn't have just thrown it in the rubbish, and if they had managed to create xeo orbs I think we'd know about it. Which means they've still got it somewhere, probably in some lab. All I need to do is find out where."

"I'm coming too." Donna said instantly, looking up at the Doctor like a desperate child.

Mitchell sighed heavily. "Then go on your way Doctor. But know this, if Mitchell is harmed further, no matter of what happens, I will hold you responsible." The Doctor nodded solemnly and Donna followed him as he left through the door. The two quickly headed towards the TARDIS.

"Doctor, are you sure this'll work. I mean, have you done this sort of stuff before?" Donna waited for a response, every second making her feel even worse.

"I don't know, Donna, I honestly don't. It could work perfectly or...it could overload his system, and just eat away at him."

Donna sighed and attempted a reassuring smile.

As the two approached the TARDIS they could see a figure standing in front of the doors. Mitchell junior was slumped against the doors; half standing, half slumped in a drained manner. Donna immediately took a sharp breath in when she could make him out properly, and looked up at the Doctor for command. The Doctor simply kept walking, trying to look at Mitchell in the eyes. As soon as he was a few feet away Mitchell looked up. His hollow eyes pierced Donna once more.

"Doc-toooor." He drawled, in a deep, emotionless voice. It still somehow managed to maintain a childlike pitch.

"Mitchell. Mitchell, can you hear me? I'm gonna help you OK? Just wait here." The Doctor came as close as he could to Mitchell, daring not to touch him directly.

"Your time is ending." Mitchell responded. The Doctor seemed taken aback, as Mitchell slowly edged back to the west side of the city. The Doctor watched him, before swiftly entering the TARDIS. Donna chose to assume Mitchell was referring to himself, though she could see no evident change or deterioration in him. She didn't bring the topic up as she entered the TARDIS, as the Doctor warped themto the metropolis below.

....

Donna exited the TARDIS to a much different one to the world above. She summarised that the buildings towered above everything else otherwise they wouldn't be seen, as before her lay thousands of people bustling their way through the monochrome streets, each with a place to go but almost grouping in a specific direction like schools of fish. Donna waited for the Doctor; she knew as soon as she took another step away from the TARDIS she'd be taken away by the current. The Doctor peered out, but his face seemed more solemn than usual at seeing a new landscape before him.

"Are you worried?" Donna asked, noting the facial difference.

"Na just...not keen on this place really. Too hustle-y AND too bustle-y." He managed a reassuring smile and guided Donna a few steps away from the TARDIS onto the crowded street. He seemed to easily make room in front of himself, though Donna could barely see where she was being taken.

"We're heading up there." The Doctor shouted back, pointing a finger at the largest building of all.

"Of course we are." Donna groaned, expecting nothing more than the biggest or greatest or grandest from the Doctor.

After being shoved around for what seemed like half an hour to Donna they seemed to reach the edge of the crowd, and entered into a small courtyard just outside the giant structure. The Doctor sighed heavily and waited for Donna to push her way out.

"I thought London was bad, I swear I'm gonna be covered in bruises now, number of women who just bash you with their handbags, size of suitcases they were." Donna was gripping the top of arm in desperate hunt for a miscoloured patch of skin. She looked up at the Doctor who was staring at her amusedly.

"Are you done?" He smirked.

"Yes." She said stubbornly. Taking a look around her, Donna found that the courtyard was considerably less busy than the streets. There was a grand fountain in the centre, surrounded by a green circle of grass, which in turn was surrounded by a flowerbed of red, orange, and yellow flowers. Several benches were symmetrically laid around this, with a few people, workers on a break, no doubt, sitting on them peacefully. Donna had managed to zone out the excess noise of the endless crowd behind her, and instead all she could hear was the water gently hitting the pool of the fountain below it, and a subtle but constant breeze flowing around her.

"This is...blissful. Why isn't it more crowded?" Donna wondered aloud.

"Well, strictly only employees allowed, and since most work 20 hour shifts it's normally this empty. Protected by a minor psychic force field actually, stolen technology from up there."

"Then how did we get in?"

"I said minor. They might be technologically advanced but they're not so great up top."

The Doctor shoved a finger to his head and twisted it slightly as he smiled greatly at Donna.

"So what now? We can't just barge in and demand a black hole."

"We'll have to take the back exit. Fire escapes to be precise. The lab's on the fiftieth floor if I remember correctly." The Doctor began walking through the courtyard and towards the back of the building.

"Fiftieth? The fiftieth floor? Not fifteen, fif-ty? Five zero? You expect me to climb fifty flights of rackety, unsafe stairs?"

"Well, forty-nine to be fair. Anyway that's nothing. That's not even a third of the building, think of it that way."

"You do my nut in, you do."

"I know." The Doctor grinned.

Donna noticed that it was as if they were surrounded; the whole area outside had people walking in straight lines in either direction, boxing them in and separating them from a greatly different world.

....

After thirty-eight floors Donna was getting a little bored of staring at the Doctor's back, particularly when they had to wait until he used his sonic screwdriver to drop the next set of stairs down.

"Can't you do that a bit faster?" Donna asked above the noise of the screwdriver.

"It's an art, Donna, it's not just point and click." The stairs above rumbled slightly and fell slowly to their floor. The Doctor raced up them, two at a time, and Donna exhaled heavily before deciding to tackle them. She dared not look behind her; she knew by now the people below would look like a black and grey blur slowly moving around the buildings that surrounded them. Donna caught up with the Doctor who was aiming carefully with one eye half-closed.

"Doctor"

"Yup"

"Do you ever get bored? You know, when you're climbing fifty flights of stairs rather than going toe to toe with some fire breathing alien."

"Donna I'm centuries old. I wouldn't still be doing this if I didn't find every minute, every single moment as exciting as the next." The stairs fell more harshly this time, and the Doctor stared at them for a while, perhaps in thought over what Donna had said, before smiling at Donna and racing up the stairs even more quickly.

....

"49th floor," The Doctor remarked. "Up there should be the lab if memory serves me. Now we have to make it quick, get in there, find whatever they're holding the black hole and xeo in, and get out. You're looking for a...wobbly black blob. Well, actually it might be any colour by now, who knows what over exposure to xeo has done to it. It'd be fascinating to find out-"

"Doctor! Enough science stuff, let's just get this over and done with. I need to put my feet up, I've probably got a layer of blisters by now."

"Alright. Now follow me, any whiff of people coming and we leave, OK?"

The Doctor began climbing the final set of stairs with Donna following close behind. Once he had reached the summit, the Doctor carefully went around each edge of the window with his screwdriver before easing the window up, leaving enough space for the both of them to slide in. Inside, the room was far grander than Donna had anticipated. The floors, ceilings, and desks were pure white, the only thing standing out were tubes of multi coloured liquids on several desks. The room seemed to spill out endlessly from where they had entered, their window being one of five against the wall. Towards the right of the room a large, white, crane like structure hung above them, comprising of a stair case up to a small platform with a microscope precariously balanced on top. Against the opposite wall lay several bookcases full with perfectly neat reading material, and shelves overstocked with chemicals and liquids. Below them were even more drawers and cupboards that Donna believed were as full as the rest of the room.

"You could've told me we'd playing 'Treasure Hunt' Doctor. What can you scientists do with so much space?"

"Oh, so much Donna, you don't even know. So many discoveries have been made here, so many more to come. Brilliant place, simply brilliant. Now come on, I'll take the shelves, you do the cupboards."

The Doctor darted over and immediately started raiding the shelves, often on tiptoes. Donna slowly followed behind, admiring the vast amount of space, with papers scattered on desks containing complicated formulae and symbols.

"Hurry up." The Doctor mumbled from within a cupboard. Donna got down on her knees and searched through the first cupboard, pushing aside empty jars and dusty equipment. By the second cupboard she had already had enough.

"This doesn't make sense Doctor."

"What doesn't?"

"Well, I mean, for one thing you clever people aren't just gonna stick something so precious in a random cupboard."

The Doctor stopped what he was doing and looked down.

"What do you mean?"

"With a space this large you're gonna need some sort of order. And if my years of being a temp taught me nothing else it was that most people use alphabetical."

"That's it! Oh, Donna Noble, you genius from Chiswick. Alphabetical! Of course. Well, not alphabetical, Bartierians don't have an alphabet of sorts, but they do use a periodic table."

The Doctor pushed aside empty jars to reveal a large poster on top of the cupboards. Donna had seen Earth's periodic table a few times before without really taking it in, but this seemed much more complex, with several blocks ordered together in rows, lines drawn between them, and what Donna believed to be hundreds of varying colours.

"Xeo...xeo...x-eo." The Doctor traced his finger across the poster in a strange zigzag shape.

"Aha!" Donna jumped slightly. "Xeo; number 154. 154 of...170 I think. So..." The Doctor took a step back and walked carefully across the floor, observing his feet perfectly. He stopped around three-quarters of the way towards the right hand side of the room.

"Here." He said, turning to the shelves and cupboards. "Donna, it's got to be here. Come help." Donna rushed over, and the two of them began searching the cupboards and shelves, this time at a much greater pace.

"Doctor, I can feel something." Donna said, one arm half immersed in the cupboard.

"What, what is it?"

"I dunno it feels weird. Like some sort of jelly." Donna dragged her hand out. She was holding a translucent orb, shimmering with what at first seemed like glitter but on closer inspection were tiny bubbles of an unknown gas. Inside of this was a small jar, containing what Donna surmised to be the black hole they were after.

"Perfect, Donna that's perfect. Oh, look at it, isn't it magical?" The Doctor took out his glasses from his pocket, put them on, and took the orb, gently pressing it with his finger.

"They've trapped it in a sol orb; it prevents the xeo and black hole from reacting with one another. To their credit, an inspired idea, I didn't even think they had the technology." The Doctor seemed amazed by the orb as he gently passed it from hand to hand. The squeak of a door echoed around the room. Donna and the Doctor swung around to see two scientists dressed in lab coats enter the room, entered in a deep conversation. They immediately made eye contact with the Doctor, who smiled broadly and waved.

"Security!" One of the scientists boomed.

....

"I guess that's our cue Miss Noble." The two of them immediately hit a sprint, as the Doctor lead Donna out of the main double doors, on the opposite side to which they'd entered. The corridors outside were a massive contrast; black walls, with light only coming from small lamps placed strategically above other doors. The carpet was a dank grey, and several signs were stuck to the walls as the two weaved up and down the angular floor. The Doctor stopped at a large, double door, and jabbed his finger on a button on the left side. The doors swung open, and the Doctor dragged Donna in to the monochrome box, as two large men came running towards them.

"There's a lift? Fifty flights of stairs, and there was a lift here all along."

"Forty-nine! And I didn't want to take chances; if anything I've never had a good relationship with these things."

It didn't seem to be long before the lift reached the ground floor. As the doors swung open the Doctor and Donna bounded out, running past the large, black reception desk.

"Sorry we couldn't stay for long, lovely place you've got here, but the fire escape on floor 38 is a bit rusty, I advise calling maintenance out." The Doctor chirped with a sly smile on his face.

"What now, we can't get away if we have to walk in that stupidly slow human wave." Donna asked as they ran across the courtyard, avoiding the flowerbeds.

"Foot travel is so this morning Donna." The Doctor remarked as he dragged her into the sea of people. Instead of following the wave, the Doctor cut straight through, until they reached a large open space. Donna wondered why people weren't using this as well, until she looked slightly upwards and noticed the wide range of floating vehicles just above head height. The Doctor put two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. A blue scooter-shaped vehicle, almost resembling a slug, dropped from the sky in front of the two of them. The Doctor saddled it immediately, placing the sol orb in a cup holder, and revving the handles slightly.

"Hop on." The Doctor called across. Donna sighed, and perched herself on the back of the scooter. Before she had chance to comfortably position herself the scooter rose up, and shot off in the opposite direction. Donna could barely see what was going on, with coloured blurs of the scooters either side of her, and the Doctor's body crowding her view in front. Soon, however, they slowed, and fell slowly to the ground, directly in front of the TARDIS.

"Great way to travel, pity it doesn't do time and space." The Doctor said, jumping off and running into the TARDIS. Donna was less appreciative, trying to catch her breath and tentatively putting two feet back on the ground.

....

The TARDIS dematerialised in nearly the exact same spot. The Doctor pushed the door open with one hand, clutching the sol orb in the other. There was a small crowd of sorts now gathered; several people tentatively waiting outside of their houses, others peering through window frames. The Doctor gave a cheeky wave and several people recoiled slightly. To them he was still a danger. In the centre of the village, just in front of where they had landed, the Mitchells were waiting, hand in hand. Mitchell senior managed a slight smile and the Doctor happily gave one in return.

"A successful mission?" Mitchell asked.

"Yup, very, by my standards. It's sealed in a sol orb," the Doctor lifted and prodded the orb once more "but that shouldn't be too hard to get off. I doubt we'll have long once I remove it though, until the two are fully reacting. I advise everyone stays quite well back." The Doctor shouted the last part, to which several people fully receded into their houses.

"I want to be there Doctor. He's my son." Mitchell senior responded, his face washing over to an expression of stern concentration.

"Me too." Donna chirped up from behind the Doctor, edging her way forward and smiling. Mitchell kissed his wife on the cheek, and moved forward towards the Doctor.

"Now listen to me, the both of you," The Doctor said morosely "If anything happens, anything goes wrong, do not try to intervene. I should have some extra protection against this stuff and if things get dire well...I'll heal but it could still infect anyone else so just stay back. Mitchell, I want you to make sure Donna gets home safely. She'll moan, probably hurt you quite a bit but make sure she gets back to Earth, OK?" Mitchell nodded and Donna rolled her eyes.

"Good luck Doctor." Mitchell offered a hand and the Doctor shook it briskly. He then turned to Donna.

"...What? You'll be fine, you always are. And I know where I wanna go next so you better hurry up." The Doctor smiled broadly and turned to go towards the western dock.

"Oh, alright then." Donna exclaimed, turning and hugging the Doctor tightly, taking him instantly off kilter. She let go and pushed the Doctor on his way. The Doctor walked down the small slope towards Mitchell junior, and Donna and Mitchell senior followed slowly behind, stopping just at the edge. Donna hugged herself, her body shaking slightly, to which Mitchell placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She looked up, and mouthed _"Good luck."_

The Doctor knew what to do; he'd planned it meticulously every time he'd had a spare five minutes. And yet even now he was nervous. He knew that if anything at all went wrong, he'd never forgive himself. The Bartierians wouldn't and now, no doubt, Donna wouldn't either. He breathed slowly as he became a few metres away from Mitchell junior. He wasn't sure how to get his attention, or whether he even should. What he had neglected in telling Mitchell senior was that this might hurt. Ripping xeo away from anything, particularly millions of skin and blood cells, would be a painful experience. The Doctor had banked on the black hole infection providing some sort of numbness, but only to an extent. There was going to be a time when Mitchell would feel it. And he was nothing more than a boy.

The Doctor let out one more long breath, and walked around to face Mitchell. He began to kneel down to his level, but Mitchell looked up, and stood twice as quickly. The Doctor presumed Mitchell was aware what was going on, and was ready.

"Mitchell, I'm gonna help you. Just stay with me, the pain will be gone soon, OK?"

Mitchell continued gazing endlessly outwards, at the Doctor's shoulder level, blinking at such a rate that the Doctor wandered after each time whether he ever would again. The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver, turned in up to the maximum setting, and began aiming it all around the orb. Slowly it began to crack. The Doctor kept one eye on Mitchell, the other on the orb as its unstable contents began to be revealed. The pieces soon fell to the ground, and the Doctor clutched the jar tightly. It was hot, burning against his skin. He winced slightly, but hung on. Mitchell began breathing heavily out of his nose, his body swaying. The Doctor watched him intensely, distancing the jar further away from himself, and slightly above Mitchell.

"OK Mitchell, on three. One, two-" The Doctor let out a large huff as Mitchell pounced on him, forcing him to the ground with a thud. Donna and Mitchell senior gasped, Donna automatically starting in the Doctor's direction, but held back by Mitchell senior's grip. The Doctor shook his head wildly to orientate himself, and immediately caught Mitchell's pitch black eyes staring at him avidly.

"Mitchell, please, I know you're there, just give me a minute and this will all be over." The Doctor tried to raise his arm that held the jar but Mitchell was holding it down, forcing it lower in the floor. The Doctor let out a gasp as he could see the black mist he remembered infecting Mitchell slowly creeping down the boy's arm towards his own. The Doctor panted, and with a heave pushed Mitchell backwards. The boy collapsed a few metres back, but was soon trying to get back up once again. Instinctively, and perhaps without thought, the Doctor grabbed the jar's lid with his other hand, and pointed the open bottle in Mitchell's direction.

....

The black hole began spinning in the jar, turning from a deep black to dark silver. It seemed to turn into a mist, floating in the jar. Mitchell began to convulse on the floor, his veins darkening and his eyes falling into the back of his head. The Doctor watched him closely, looking for signs of what to do next. A black mist again seemed to seep from Mitchell's finger tips, being drawn towards the jar. Donna looked on from the hill behind her hands.

"It's working." She remarked, an ease falling over her.

The jar appeared half full of the black mist by now, its colour softening to a dirty grey. Mitchell's veins begin to return to their blue-green, but he was still shaking violently on the floor. Suddenly the mist in the jar began to swirl outwards, back towards Mitchell, meeting the rest of the black mist.

"No, no, no!" The Doctor yelled, as he immediately began to crawl on his elbows closer to Mitchell in an attempt to recollect the mist.

"Doctor, what's happening?" Donna shouted down.

"It needs more energy to create a xeo orb, it's getting desperate. But I can't let it near Mitchell's body otherwise it'll use him as a catalyst." The Doctor had caught up with the mist now, and titled the jar slightly to keep it within. He let out a sigh of relief, and smiled up at Donna and Mitchell senior. Donna smiled broadly back, but Mitchell senior looked as serious as ever, still concerned for his son.

The Doctor noted that the boy's eyes had returned to a pure white.

"Come on Mitchell, stay with me, not much more now." Just then Mitchell let out a loud scream. It took the Doctor off guard, and he had to rebalance the jar. Mitchell had taken back over, but that meant he now felt things, specifically the pain as the xeo was ripped from him.

"What are you doing Doctor?!" Mitchell senior boomed, his face looking even more stern than usual. Donna was the one to hold him back this time.

"Trust him." She said, looking at him directly in the eyes.

"Mitchell, Mitchell listen to me, it's OK. The worst is over, it's nearly done." The Doctor soothed, as Mitchell's body began to calm. The jar was near full, and the Doctor prepared the lid in his other hand.

"Doctor.....please....make it...stop." Mitchell junior stuttered.

"It's alright," The last of the mist seeped from Mitchell's body, and slithered into the jar. "And we're done." The Doctor jumped forward and took Mitchell's body into his arms. He beckoned for the others to come down.

"Is he OK Doctor?" Donna called out, jogging down the hill.

"I'm...I'm fine." Mitchell junior managed, his face blanched and lips decoloured. Mitchell senior soon arrived, and stopped as soon as he saw his son's face, not quite full of life but more delicate than it had been for a long while.

"Here," the Doctor went to get up, allowing Mitchell senior to sit with his son "I think you two need to catch back up."

The Doctor stood up, next to Donna, and she took his arm. "Well done. You are a force to be reckoned with, even when faced with a black hole."

"Well, all in a day's work really. And look." The Doctor picked up the jar, and shook the contents. The gray dulled even more, and slowly swirled into a white cloud, before settling and revealing a beautiful white orb, sparkling with silver and grey sparks.

"That's beautiful. And all we end up doing with it is using it as fuel?"

"Unfortunately so. But now we know how it came into being. And I think you, Miss Noble, should be credited as founder." The Doctor took out the orb and passed it to Donna, who smiled in glee.

....

The Doctor and Donna left the pub once again. They'd been offered congratulatory drinks by some of the residents, and Donna had now tried all manner of strange coloured things that had a range of surprisingly appealing tastes. They said their goodbyes and headed towards the TARDIS. The Mitchells were stood outside the TARDIS, Mitchell junior in the middle of the three, looking much more lifelike, which pleased both Donna and the Doctor greatly.

"So good to see you up again young sir. You look glowing with health." The Doctor said, shaking Mitchell junior's hand with great enthusiasm.

"Thank you Doctor, for everything. I hope to be as clever as you one day."

"Oh, I don't think you're far off." The Doctor grinned.

"Yes, thank you Doctor. We obviously wouldn't have our son back without you." Said Mrs. Mitchell, smiling gleefully and rubbing Mitchell junior's hair.

"And thank you Noble. If it wasn't for your great escape I doubt I would've ever let the Doctor go." Mitchell senior said, putting out a hand that Donna took tentatively.

"Yes, thank you Donna Noble. I never did say, tend to forget to do that," the Doctor said. "Right, we best be off, places to see people to...go, is that right?"

"No, not at all." Donna said, slowly entering the TARDIS.

"Make sure you have fun, Mitchell. I bet you're gonna be a wonderful man someday." The Doctor gave one final wave before following Donna into the TARDIS. He closed the door behind him and let out a big sigh, as a grin wiped across his face.

"You never did say why we came, Doctor. Did you just know what to do?"

"Not at all. Between you and me I thought we'd arrived before all this, in actual 2009. I was scared Donna, I'm never scared, and I thought that at least coming here, even if it was as if nothing had gone wrong, it'd calm me. But this thing," the Doctor banged the TARDIS console "She decided otherwise. And I thank her for it." Donna gave an understanding nod.

"So, you said you had somewhere you wanted to go?"

"Oh, please, I'm begging here, anywhere with a beach."

"The vast beaches of Ardmin? Killer crabs, but we can relax around them." The Doctor smiled and Donna hit him lightly on the back, as the TARDIS whirred into life.


End file.
